


you're the only dream i'll ever hold

by georgiaswarr



Category: Loveless - Alice Oseman
Genre: Alcohol Mentions, F/F, Female Friendship, Future Fic, Gen, Internalised aphobia, Rooney pov, allusions to emotionally abusive past relationships, cw for:, excessive hugging we love to see it /gen, i only cried once while writing this !, maybe the real holiday miracle is the fact that this is a future where gen z-ers live comfortably, okay it was from the moment i started to the moment i finished writing but that's beside the point, they're about ten years older here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:02:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27417703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgiaswarr/pseuds/georgiaswarr
Summary: “So, I’ve been wondering,” Pip started. “If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly made you decide to do this now? And in this way?”Rooney contemplated this question for a minute. “I mean… I guess it’s been a long time coming. But to be honest, I think the reason I’m finally doing this has to do with a handful of quite recent events. It’s a long story, though, involving three different people…”
Relationships: Georgia Warr & Rooney Bach
Comments: 13
Kudos: 19





	you're the only dream i'll ever hold

**Author's Note:**

> just a lil old self-indulgent fic centering the two girls who invented love
> 
> for osemanverse girls day 7: future
> 
> title is from "just fucking let me love you" by lowen

The atmosphere in the shopping centre was straight out of a cheesy holiday movie, and Rooney would have loved it had she not currently been freaking out about which ring to buy. 

“I think the one that looks like a frog would be quite fitting, no?”

Rooney spun around and spotted Pip grinning at her. Her short, curly hair was even more tousled than usual, and Rooney felt the sudden yearning to shower the top of Pip’s head in kisses, the way she used to. Instead, she grinned back and smothered the other woman in an excited hug.

“Pip, I’m so glad you’re here, I have been stressing _out_.”

***

“I still think the one with the frog would’ve been neat,” Pip said later, while the two of them were drinking some hot chocolate after the long but ultimately successful shopping session. Rooney chuckled.

“Do you really think Georgia would wear that day in day out?”

“Well, probably not, but still. Maybe we should get it for Jess!”

“That’s a very good idea, actually!”

Pip smiled and took another sip. “So, I’ve been wondering,” she started. “If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly made you decide to do this now? And in this way?”

Rooney contemplated this question for a minute. “I mean… I guess it’s been a long time coming. But to be honest, I think the reason I’m finally doing this has to do with a handful of quite recent events. It’s a long story, though, involving three different people…”

“Well, let me hear it!”

Rooney smiled. “Okay. Then let me start off with an epic tale of rediscovered friendship…"

* * *

**Mermaid-Hair Beth**

Rooney should have guessed that seeing your ex-best friend again for the first time after more than fifteen years would lead to some weirdness, but she never thought she’d be the one to awkwardly hover in the entrance of the café, trying to psych herself up to going over to where Beth was sitting while the waitress frowned at her. Beth was, blessedly, still engrossed in a book. She’d dyed her hair blue since the last time Rooney had seen her and there was a happy glow about her that sent a pang of melancholy through Rooney. Once again, she wished she’d been there to witness all of Beth’s developments, everything that turned her into the woman she was today.

As if sensing Rooney’s musings, Beth finally looked up from her book and noticed her. A big smile broke out on her face and she waved.

“Rooney!” she yelled across the room.

Rooney grinned at her enthusiasm and walked over to where Beth was eagerly awaiting her, ready to envelop Rooney in a big hug.

“I’m so happy to see you again!” Beth said after they'd separated from each other.

“Me too, I missed you!”

Rooney and Beth both sat down across from each other at the table and the waitress soon came to take their orders.

“So,” Beth started.

Rooney nodded. “So.”

“Fifteen years, huh?”

Rooney chuckled nervously. Once again, she was reminded of how utterly she'd fucked up this friendship, way back when. “Yeah."

Beth grinned suddenly. “Remember that businessman who used to come here every Friday?”

“The one who always yelled at the staff?”

“Yes, him! Did you hear that he ran for a seat on the local council but lost because it turned out he privately encouraged his voters to commit voter fraud?"

“Wait, really?”

Beth nodded, eyes wide. The two of them broke out in laughter.

“Wow, karma really came for that one, huh?” Rooney snorted.

The tension now fully broken, Rooney and Beth started catching each other up on their lives. Rooney learned that Beth ran a small start-up business with her best friend, dedicated to reducing food waste. In turn, Rooney told her about working part-time as a freelance director of plays, and how right now her local theatre was in the middle of rehearsing for a holiday-themed version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Beth smiled at that.

“I’m glad you got to follow your childhood dream, Rooney.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They chatted for what felt like hours about everything and nothing. It felt like they’d never been apart. At one point, Beth mentioned that there was a cute Christmas market in town and the two of them decided to head over there for some hot drinks. While they were waiting for their orders, Rooney spotted a stand nearby which was selling socks with little candy-canes on them.

She pointed them out to Beth.

“I should get a pair of those for Pip!”

“Who’s Pip?”

“Wait, I haven’t told you about Pip?”

Beth shook her head.

“Oh wow, I’m legit ashamed of myself. Pip is one of my best friends. We actually used to go out but she works in London now, which is almost three hours away from where we live, so we only see each other on weekends.”

“Wait, _she_?"

“Yeah, I’m pansexual. Is that a problem?”

“Oh no, not at all! Fuck, I didn’t mean to come off like some homophobe, it’s the opposite! I’m bi, actually. Biromantic asexual!”

“Dude, nice! I’m glad I can keep my streak of not being friends with cis straight people.”

Beth laughed. “Me too, actually. Wait, by the way, do you even know what asexuality is?"

“Oh yeah, my best friend is aro-ace! She won’t mind that I tell you.”

“That's so cool! Is she the one you live with?”

“Yeah, Georgia. We’ve been living together non-stop since uni, actually. She’s basically one of my favourite people ever."

Beth smiled softly. “I really love that for you. Make sure you never let her go.”

That all-familiar pang went through Rooney’s chest once more. She couldn’t help feeling that there was something the two of them had yet to address. “I won’t. Ever. I promise."

Beth nodded and they both drank from their cups, contemplating.

“I have a question,” Rooney said finally.

“Hit me.”

“What made you decide to contact me? I mean, last time I heard from you, or… well… Georgia heard from you, she told me you’d deleted my number. I… I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore, and I don’t blame you, honestly."

Beth looked down, solemn. “I mean… It did take me a long time to get over what happened. That was probably the worst heartbreak of my life, to be completely honest with you, Rooney. But lately, I’ve just been remembering how much I loved you, still do. And, well… I know for a fact that it wasn’t your fault, you were a victim of societal ideas and manipulation and the like… And we’ve both grown so much, so I guess I was just ready to try again. If you want to.”

By the time Beth had finished talking, tears were streaming down Rooney’s face. She thought again about how much she hated everything and everyone that came between her and the kind-hearted, amazing woman standing before her. Beth’s eyes were also filling with tears. “Oh, Rooney.”

She closed the distance between the two and threw her arms around Rooney, both of them burying their faces in the other’s neck.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so, so fucking sorry,” Rooney repeated over and over again.

“It’s okay, Rooney. It’s okay.”

“I just hate it all so much. I still wish it had never happened."

Beth pulled back and wiped the tears from Rooney’s face. “It’s okay, really. You’re okay. And I know you won’t leave Georgia.”

“I promise you won’t be able to make me leave Georgia’s life for a billion pounds.”

“That’s good. Cause especially aspec people need that kind of reassurance. It can get lonely for us when society keeps pushing romance and sex as the only imaginable future, you know?”

“Yeah. I know. I’ll definitely reassure her more, now that you mention it.”

“I’m glad. ’Til death do you part, am I right?”

Rooney grinned. “Yeah, that’s a good way to put it.”

Beth laughed and wrapped her arms around her again. And for the first time in fifteen years, Rooney felt a little piece of her life fall into place again.

* * *

“Wow, Roo. That’s honestly such an amazing thing to happen,” Pip said once Rooney was done recounting the story.

Rooney smiled. “Yeah, I’m really happy Beth and I got to reunite like that.”

“So who’s the next person?”

“I’ll tell you in a minute, but let’s maybe pack up first!”

“Of course.”

The two women paid for their drinks and left the café to beat rush hour.

“Remember our bouncy castle battle?” Pip suddenly asked.

“I do, yeah. Why?”

“I was just thinking about how I saw that there’s gonna be a bouncy castle-themed fair in this small town on my way here. Reminded me of the good old days, y’know? We really had something to let out there, huh?"

“Yeah, we were both very repressed back then. Glad we got over that.”

They both chuckled, remembering their university days. Rooney really missed her. She really did wish they could find their way back to each other somehow. Oh well.

Pip cleared her throat. “Anyway, do you want to tell me about the second person?”

“Oh yes, of course. Person number two, let's go."

* * *

**Ellis Warr**

Rooney had always liked Georgia’s cousin. Not only was she a delight to be around, she had also helped Georgia a lot when it came to accepting her identity. Ellis had been able to show Georgia that a happy future without a romantic partner was possible, and Rooney would forever be thankful for that.

So coming home after work to find Ellis and Georgia talking in the living room, both of them visibly upset, was far from how she wished her day would end.

“It just sucks, because I would have expected that from one of my cishet friends, but I thought queer people were over that whole prioritising-romance shit, you know?” Ellis was just saying when Rooney joined them.

“Expected what?” Rooney asked. She plopped down on the sofa next to Georgia and rested her feet on her best friend’s lap. “Oh, hi Ellis, by the way!”

“Hi, Rooney!” Ellis smiled weakly. Georgia appeared too sunk in her thoughts to say anything.

“So, may I ask, what’s making you both so sad?” Rooney pressed further.

Ellis sighed. “There’s been some drama between me and Isa, one of my best friends.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry…”

“Yeah. Basically, the two of us were supposed to go on holiday together for two weeks this winter. We had a whole amazing ski trip planned and I was really looking forward to just… having all kinds of deep chats, platonic magic, you know? But then today she told me that she can’t go with me because she and her new girlfriend decided to schedule a trip for the exact same time basically behind my back, and well… it hurt.”

“Fuck, I’m so sorry… How long have they been together, then? Maybe it’s just because they’re in a honeymoon phase…”

Georgia finally jumped in. “What the fuck, Rooney? It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been together, Isa made a promise to Ellis first and she broke it because she decided to prioritise romance over friendship. It’s not okay.”

Rooney nodded. “Of course, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“They’ve been together for over a year already, so I doubt they’re still honeymooning,” Ellis answered. “And it’s not like the trip they’re going on is objectively more important than the one we’d planned, the opposite actually. And, well… When I confronted Isa, she ended up saying something along the lines of how I just can’t offer her the same happiness that her girlfriend can, so yeah."

“That’s awful!"

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Georgia muttered.

"I mean, your only source of happiness should never be your partner, that just leads to you feeling miserable and like something is missing from your life,” Rooney continued.

“Exactly!” Ellis sighed.

“So what now?”

“I mean, maybe she’ll apologise at some point, but I doubt we’ll ever be as close as we were before. It’s just so… Disappointing. After everything I told her about amatonormativity, and how fucked up it is that society teaches you to prioritise romance, she still went ahead and pulled this. Yeah. I guess I just needed to talk to Georgia about it, I knew she’d understand.”

Georgia smiled weakly. Rooney felt a pang of guilt, wondering if Georgia had ever felt abandoned by her.

“I’m so sorry, Ellis, this is such an awful thing of her to do.”

“Yeah. It is.”

“So, what about the ski trip?”

“I guess I’ll just ask one of my other best friends about it. Luckily I still have some people who wouldn’t just abandon me in my life. It still hurts.”

“I can imagine,” Rooney said empathetically. 

“But thanks for letting me vent, both of you.” Ellis smiled.

“Of course!” Rooney said.

“Anytime, Ellis,” Georgia agreed. “Anyway, do you want to stay for dinner?”

“I’d absolutely love to!”

***

That evening, after Ellis had left, Rooney heard a suspicious sniffling noise from Georgia’s room. She decided to knock on the door, and when nobody answered, she cautiously opened it.

“Georgia?” Georgia was lying with her back to Rooney, trying to hide her emotions, but Rooney could tell that something was wrong. She walked over to the bed and lay down next to Georgia. She touched her shoulder for comfort.

“Talk to me, Georgie.”

Georgia wiped her face and turned around to face Rooney. She shrugged.

“Is this about Ellis?” Rooney asked.

Georgia nodded weakly and took a shaky breath. “It’s just so horrible. And I just keep thinking about how this is a reality for… I mean... Am I- Am I doomed to be everybody’s second priority?”

Rooney’s heart broke. She loved Georgia. She loved her so much, and she knew that she’d never ever want to treat her like a second priority. But she hated that other people, that society didn’t value friendships the way they did romantic relationships. She hated that Georgia still had doubts about just how loved she was, even after all of Rooney’s love confessions, and she just wanted to shake her best friend and tell her the exact ways in which Rooney was tied to her forever. She needed Georgia to know that she was nobody’s second priority. Not Rooney’s, not Pip’s, not Jason’s or Sunil’s, and that wouldn’t change, not even in ten years when some of them might have long-term romantic partners. 

But Rooney couldn’t get her thoughts in order, so she just tightly wrapped her arms around Georgia and let her best friend cry into her shirt.

“You’re never gonna be my second priority,” Rooney said over and over again. “You’ll always be my first priority, and yes, I have or will have other people in my life who are also my first priority, but that doesn’t and will never make you any less my first priority, Georgia. I need you to know that.”

Georgia nodded. “I love you, Roons.”

“I love you too, Georgie.”

And just like that, intertwined, Georgia letting her tears dry on Rooney’s shirt, the two of them nodded off. The last thought Rooney had before she fell asleep was that the two of them needed to sleep in the same bed more often again.

* * *

“Thanks for reminding me that I’m gonna hug Georgia non-stop this entire weekend,” Pip said once Rooney had finished. They had left the shopping centre and Rooney was driving them home.

“Sounds like an excellent plan if you ask me,” Rooney agreed.

They drove on in silence for a bit. Rooney glanced at Pip, who had taken out her phone and was frowning at something on it.

“What’s bothering you?” Rooney asked.

“A pretentious co-worker is giving me the shits because I accidentally put a beaker on the wrong shelf.”

“Yikes. One of the downsides of working at a pretentious London lab, huh?”

Pip frowned at Rooney. “I happen to like my pretentious London job, actually. So could you maybe not shit on it?”

“Sure, no need to get so offended…”

But Pip was offended. “What’s your problem with it anyway? Are you upset that I chose London over you or something?” Rooney glanced over at Pip again, who had turned in her seat so that her entire body was facing the other woman.

“I don’t have a problem with you getting a cool job or anything! I just- I guess- I wish we could still make… _us_ work, that’s all.”

Pip was taken aback. “I- uh… But Roo, we live three hours away from each other…”

“So? We still see each other pretty much every weekend anyway! Haven’t you ever heard those stories about those sapphic couples who live on different fucking continents? Three hours is _nothing_ compared to that! Oh, we can’t kiss or have sex _every night_? Like some bloody ‘normal’ couple? That’s bullshit, since when should we want to subscribe to those heteronormative and amatonormative ideas? What I’ve always loved about our relationship, Pip, is how we both hate those exact relationship norms. We’ve created something new, something unique to us, and, well, I’d personally like it if we didn’t let three measly hours of distance and the fact that we’ve got lives outside each other dictate what our relationship should be. Only we should get to have a say in that.” 

All while saying that, Rooney had been staring straight ahead at the traffic while Pip had been staring at her, slack-jawed. Finally, Pip exhaled, a hint of awe written on her face, and leaned back into her seat.

“Wow. You’ve given me a lot to think about, Roo.”

“Well, of course I have. Now anyway, I still need to finish my story.”

* * *

**Jess**

  
Sunil, Jess and Jason only lived a ten-minute walk away from Georgia and Rooney’s house, which meant that game nights over at one of their houses with Pip on video-call when she couldn’t be there were not uncommon. As in, they happened more or less every other night. Rooney liked to marvel at how lucky she was to have such a tight chosen family. It always reminded her how worthy of love she actually was.

This night, though, was a special occasion, because Jason had just gotten his doctorate, so the whole gang was here to celebrate, plus a bunch of Jason’s friends.

Two or three hours into the party, Rooney found herself talking to Jess about Sunil’s new boyfriend.

“So, now that Sunil has a boyfriend, are you ever afraid that they’re going to, I don’t know, prioritise him over you?” Rooney asked, remembering her talk with Ellis the other day.

Jess shrugged. “I mean, I do hear that stupid voice sometimes that tells me they might suddenly decide that actually, societal norms make a point, and they should hierarchise their relationships. But that’s just a stupid voice. I trust Sunil. I mean, the two of us have been queerplatonic partners for years now, so there’s a lot of dedication there, you know?”

“Queer…platonic…?”

“You’ve never heard that word?"

Rooney shook her head.

“Wait a minute. So, you’re telling me you’ve been living with an aro-ace person for ten years and you’ve never heard the term ‘queerplatonic’?”

“No, what does it mean?”

“Wow. Well, I guess it’s basically when you and your friend decide to actively dedicate yourself to each other, so in a sense, you’re ‘more than friends’, even though that expression is bullshit. So it’s like you’re dating except there doesn’t have to be romance or sex involved. Queerplatonic partners might live together, share finances, might even get married, or not, it depends. In the end, it’s when you and your friend decide that you love each other a whole lot and, I guess, make that dedication official by becoming QPPs."

Rooney nodded. “Wow. That’s neat." She looked around the room and her gaze landed on Georgia, who was helping herself to a glass of champagne over by the table.

“I’ll be right back,” Rooney said and rushed over to her best friend. She walked up behind Georgia and wrapped her arms around her waist, resting her chin on Georgia’s shoulder.

“Georgie? Why didn’t you tell me your community has a really cool term for platonic partnerships?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Roons.”

Rooney separated from Georgia and Georgia turned around to face her.

“Queerplatonic!"

"Oh, right, yeah."

"It’s so cool! I mean, isn’t that like what we have?”

“I don’t know, it’s different,” Georgia mumbled.

“Why is it different? Sunil and Jess are partners and their friendship isn’t that different from ours, is it?”

“Well yeah, but they’re both aspec…”

Rooney started feeling frustrated.

“What, is this some sort of aspec-exclusive thing?”

“Well, no, of course not… But I mean, I know you might someday have a romantic partner and maybe even get married, and then you might want to, like, share a bed with them and stuff…"

“Why- What, I-"

“I just- It’s okay, Rooney, you don’t have to feel like you need to be bound to me or whatever. If you want to marry someone that’s fine. And I know you’ll still love me just as much and be my friend, so it’s really okay.”

Rooney frowned. What was Georgia not understanding? Sure, maybe Rooney would someday also have a romantic partner, but that didn’t change the fact that she wanted to dedicate herself to Georgia, too. That didn’t change the fact that she’d marry Georgia, even. Would that be acceptable?

Before Rooney could say anything else, Sunil came up to them.

“Georgia, Pip needs you in the kitchen. It’s cake-related."

Georgia nodded. “I’ll be right there.” She turned back to Rooney and patted Rooney's shoulder. “It’s okay.” Then she followed Sunil into the kitchen, leaving Rooney to her mixed emotions.

***

Rooney spent the next few hours eating cake, talking to various people and drinking a whole lot of wine. She knew that wasn’t healthy, but her half-argument with Georgia had left a sour taste in her mouth. At one point she decided she needed some fresh air, so she excused herself and went out into the back garden. There, sitting on a bench and gazing at her phone, was Jess.

Jess looked up at her “Oh, hi!”

“Hi! Sorry, I can go back in if you want to be left alone…”

“No that’s okay, come sit down!”

Jess patted the space next to her and Rooney sat down.

“So, we never continued our conversation, did we,” Jess said after a few seconds of silence.

“Oh yeah, true.”

“You and Georgia seemed to have a heated conversation, though.”

Rooney snorted pathetically. “Yeah, that.”

Jess looked at Rooney curiously.

“Can I ask you a question, Jess?” Rooney asked.

“Yeah, mate. Go ahead.”

“So… Georgia and I had a bit of an argument… Or, well, just a really weird conversation earlier. I guess I just- I feel like she doesn’t really believe me when I tell her that I’m dedicated to her, that I’m not gonna leave or neglect her, and it’s just so frustrating because I’ve told her so many times that this is for life, you know? And we’ve lived together for ten years now and I don’t want that to change, ever, but how will I get her to understand that? I don’t know… I was just thinking you might understand because you’re also aro…”

Jess nodded. “Oof. Yeah, I get where both of you are coming from. It’s all very complicated. I think- the thing about being aromantic is that you’re just constantly surrounded by so many people selling you this idea of a very specific future that involves romance and kids and the like, a future where platonic love is secondary. And I think many aro people wish for their allo friends to completely abandon this idea and give the thought of platonic partnerships or whatever a chance, but when you know that this is the kind of ideal everybody grows up with, it can be hard to ask for anyone to imagine something different, you know? So maybe Georgia thinks that you still have that idea in your head that you want to settle down in the traditional sense someday and dedicate yourself more to a romantic partnership, just because it’s really really hard to ignore the lessons that society teaches us, no matter how fucked up they are. And she might not feel brave enough to ask you to completely abandon this idea because there are also people out there saying that it’s unfair of aspec people to ask their allo friends to switch up the priorities they’ve been taught to have, you know? I hope I’m making sense, this is a very complex issue and it’s very late in the evening.” 

Jess and Rooney both chuckled at that.

“No, you’re making sense. I guess I’d never actually thought of it that way. Like, for me it’s obvious that I’m not gonna prioritise my romantic relationships over my friendships since I’ve learned that that’s just… not it. But even I sometimes still fall into the trap of, I guess, succumbing to societal norms or whatever.”

“Now that’s a fancy word,” Jess laughed.

Rooney grinned. “Yeah. But thanks, Jess. I think I understand everything a little bit better now.”

“Of course. And just know that you’re the best and most dedicated friend anyone could hope for, so if Georgia doesn’t see that soon enough, I will be very surprised."

“Thank you. And so are you.”

Jess smiled at Rooney. “How about a hug?”

“Oh, yes please.”

***

Eventually, it was time for Georgia and Rooney to make their way back home. They said their goodbyes and walked through the cold, dark streets. Pip had decided to stay with Jason tonight, so it was just the two of them, left to deal with a weird sort of tension. Georgia broke the silence first.

“I’m sorry, Roons.”

Rooney glanced over at her. “Oh, for what exactly?”

“Just- for being so weird about that… queerplatonic thing. I think it’s not that I don’t want to have that kind of official relationship with you, it’s just… I don’t know, I get told from so many angles that that’s a weird sort of relationship to have, or that it’s just ‘being best friends’ and that it’s ‘not real’, so it’s hard not to internalise that, even when I have people like Sunil and Jess to look up to. So yeah, I guess ten years of being out and proud haven’t really helped me get rid of a fuckton of internalised aphobia yet.”

Once Georgia had finished, Rooney stopped walking and took Georgia’s hand, forcing her to a standstill too. Georgia reluctantly faced Rooney, who threw her arms around Georgia.

“I’m so sorry, Georgie. Aphobia is the fucking worst.”

Georgia snorted. “You can say that again.”

Rooney separated from Georgia and grabbed her shoulders, looking at her intently. “I’m sorry for trying to force you into something you might not be comfortable with. We don’t have to put any sort of label on our relationship if you don’t want it. I love you more than anything and that can be enough.”

Georgia smiled. “No, it’s okay, I’m glad you brought it up. I think maybe… I would like having some sort of official thing… with you… if you’d like. I don’t know. I love you too.”

Rooney grinned and threw one arm around Georgia’s shoulder. “Official. I like the sound of that."

And like that, arm in arm and filled with love, the two women walked the rest of the way back home.

* * *

By the time Rooney finished, she and Pip had already arrived at her house and were sitting in the driveway. Rooney looked over at Pip and noticed that tears were in the other woman’s eyes.

“Awww,” Rooney said.

“Shut up,” Pip replied, “It’s just- love, you know?”

Rooney smiled. “Yeah. I know."

They fell back into a comfortable silence, which was eventually interrupted by Pip.

“Speaking of love…"

Rooney turned to face her. “Yeah?"

“I… um…” Pip hesitated, then she leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss onto Rooney’s lips that made Rooney’s insides melt. It felt like home. Too soon, Pip pulled back.

“We should… maybe…” Pip cleared her throat.

“Yeah. Yeah, let’s go see our girl.”

“But… you’re right. I think we could make this work.”

Rooney grinned. “I’m always right. I thought you’d have noticed this by now.”

“Oh fuck off, don’t make me change my mind again, Rooney Bach.” Pip chuckled and opened the car door, stepping out. Rooney laughed and followed her, ready for a great evening with her two favourite women.

* * *

A week later, Rooney drove Georgia to meet up with the rest of their friends.

“Tell me where you’re taking me Rooneyyyyyy,” Georgia was saying for what felt like the fiftieth time.

“I will not,” Rooney replied.

“That’s mean.”

“I know.”

Luckily, Georgia didn’t have to wait in agony much longer, as they soon pulled up to their destination, where their friends were already waiting for them. Georgia was already out of the car before Rooney even had the chance to turn it off. She watched with an amused grin as Georgia practically launched herself into Pip and Jason’s arms, smothering them in a group hug that would’ve made any onlooker think Georgia had just returned from war. Obviously, Rooney knew that the three of them had seen each other just yesterday, even though Pip was still in London then. But she also knew that that was true love.

Rooney stepped out of the car and joined them, grinning with Sunil and Jess at the heartfelt reunion before them.

“So, what is this place?” Georgia asked once Rooney had had the chance to say hi to her girlfriend too.

“Georgia, my guy, you are in for a treat,” Pip said. “Rooney, cover Georgia's eyes, I’m not tall enough to comfortably reach them.”

Rooney did as she was told, in spite of Georgia’s protests, and the six of them walked through the entrance of the fair, leading Georgia to a very specific attraction.

“Are you ready?” Jason asked.

“Uh, yeah I am!” Georgia said.

Rooney uncovered Georgia’s eyes and let Georgia gain her bearings. She looked around in disbelief. They were standing in the middle of a bouncy castle fair, filled with various elaborate bouncy castles and obstacle courses. Technically, it was mostly children who were jumping around and screaming with joy, but that wasn’t going to stop the six friends.

“Holy shit!” Georgia exclaimed.

“I know, right?” Sunil said.

Rooney directed Georgia’s attention to the bouncy castle they were standing in front of. “Look over here, Georgie!”

Georgia’s eyes widened even more. “Is that…?”

Indeed. It was the exact bouncy castle Rooney and Pip had battled on all those years ago, complete with the two platforms and pool noodles.

“You never actually got to have a go on it at the Bailey Ball, so we thought better late than never, you know?” Pip told her.

Georgia looked close to tears. “I love you guys so much!”

Pip wrapped her arms around Georgia. “Georgia Warr, I challenge you to a bouncy castle battle.”

“Pip Quintana, I graciously accept.”

After paying for a ticket, the two women climbed onto the platforms, pool noodle swords in hand. The platforms rose and a buzzer signalled that the battle could start. Rooney, Jason, Sunil and Jess cheered the two of them on as they started delivering jabs at each other.

It was an intense battle. Rooney watched with amusement, thinking about how the two of them must be feeling a lot like they were reliving their childhood, just two girls battling on a bouncy castle, not a care in the world. It made Rooney smile.

Finally, Georgia delivered the killing blow. Pip stabbed her noodle at Georgia, but she was able to dodge, which made Pip stumble forwards. While she was regaining her balance, Georgia was able to go on the offensive and she thrust her own noodle forwards, successfully pushing Pip off the platform.

“Noooooooo!” Pip yelled. Georgia just cackled gleefully.

The two of them stepped off the bouncy castle so that the group could get another ticket.

“I let you win,” Pip insisted.

“Of course,” Georgia said.

“Yeah, I felt bad for you because you’re a beginner and I already won once, so I let you win.”

Georgia laughed and hugged Pip. Then it was Jason’s turn to face Georgia in battle. 

Pip walked over to Rooney’s side and wrapped her arms around Rooney’s waist. For a while, they watched Jason and Georgia jab at each other.

“So, just to be sure,” Rooney started. “I do have your blessing for this, right?”

“Blessing? Why?”

“Well, I mean, for one you know Georgia much longer than me, and technically the two of you are also college wives, so there’s a certain claim there too…”

Pip laughed. “Yeah, you’ve got my blessing, mate. Bold of you to assume Georgia and I aren’t still married too, though. College marriage is forever.”

“That’s very fair.” Rooney grinned and rested her chin on Pip’s head. The two of them kept watching the battle between Georgia and Jason.

“So, when are you gonna do this?” Pip asked eventually.

“You’ll see,” Rooney said.

Pip reached up and poked Rooney’s cheek. “Ah, a woman of mystery as always.”

Rooney chuckled. “And yet you love me for it.”

“Perhaps…”

They grinned at each other and Rooney pressed a kiss onto Pip’s nose, just as they heard a grunt and found Jason falling off his platform, Georgia whooping victoriously.

After that, Georgia needed a break, so they let Sunil and Jess have a go. Sunil won that one, but mainly because he had to flap his arms around wildly to regain his balance at one point, which caused the noodle to fling out of his hands. Jess had to laugh so hard that she fell off the platform by herself.

While the two of them made their way back to the others, Rooney finally turned to Georgia.

“So, Georgie. Are you ready to face the great Rooney Bach, undefeated champion?”

“Um, excuse me, I won last time!” Pip protested. “Georgia’s the undefeated champion here!”

“Hush, Pipsqueak.”

Georgia giggled. “Yeah, Rooney, are you prepared to face defeat of epic proportions?”

Rooney rolled her eyes and strutted over to the bouncy castle, Georgia following her. They each grabbed a noodle, climbed onto the platforms and assumed their best battle stances.

And it was intense. Georgia was determined not to lose her streak of wins, while Rooney was determined to gain at least one victory on the bouncy castle, so both of them delivered their blows with utmost concentration.

“Give it up, Roons, you’re going down,” Georgia declared.

“No way, I’m the one with actual balance here, Georgie.”

Rooney thrust her noodle at Georgia, but Georgia blocked it with hers and shoved Rooney’s noodle back with immense force, causing Rooney to lose her grip on it. The noodle fell down onto the platform next to Rooney.

“HA!” Georgia called and readied herself to deliver a killing blow. Before she could knock Rooney off her platform though, Rooney decided to reveal one last ace up her sleeve. Was that a pun?

“GEORGIA WARR, WILL YOU MARRY ME?” she yelled.

Georgia froze, taken aback. Rooney used that to her advantage, grabbed her noodle again and jabbed at Georgia, causing her best friend to topple off her platform and fall into the bouncy castle below.

“What the fuck?!?” Georgia yelled.

Rooney laughed and jumped off her platform. She hopped over to where Georgia was lying on her back, falling down next to her. Georgia looked at Rooney, then both of them broke out in giggles.

“I was not expecting that, that was quite the strategy, Roons,” Georgia said through her laughter.

“What can I say, I like to play dirty.”

This made Georgia laugh even more. Once both of them finally calmed down, Georgia looked back at Rooney.

“So, was that a joke…?” she tentatively asked.

Rooney shook her head. “No, I meant it.”

Georgia’s eyes widened as Rooney rolled onto her side and pulled the ring she and Pip had picked out the weekend before. It was sleek and simple, not too expensive but still with a nice purple gemstone in the middle. Georgia stared at it in disbelief.

“Georgia, almost ten years ago I promised you that I would never stop being your friend and that we would stay together until the end of our lives. But I understand that the older we get, the more society’s pressures to settle down romantically surround us, which can make it hard to believe that people can actually be together platonically forever and I understand that you might have some doubts about my dedication at times, or about how a lifelong partnership could work for you. So I want to prove that I will be by your side til death do us part, basically. I’m even willing to get the government involved, though I would technically prefer to just have a casual wedding without any of the legal stuff and I know you would too since traditional marriage is a fucked-up construct anyway and I also think marrying multiple people sounds like something both of us might want to do. But, Georgia, I love you more than anything and there’s nothing I would like more than to scream our love, our friendship, our dedication to each other out to the world. So, what do you say?”

While Rooney said that, Georgia had started tearing up and now she hid her eyes with her hands.

“Fuck, Rooney!” She furiously tried wiping her tears away, but they just kept spilling.

“Is that a yes?”

“YES! Yes, I will marry you. FUCK! I love you!” She gave up on trying to hide her crying and instead launched herself towards her friend - fiancée now -, burying her in a hug. From outside the bouncy castle, the two of them heard loud cheers and next thing they knew, the rest of their friend group was climbing into the bouncy castle, jumping over to the two women and falling down on top of them, forming a massive group hug, just all of them, holding each other.

**Author's Note:**

> anyway thank you for reading i hope you enjoyed !!!
> 
> big shoutout to caitlin (@drarrystar on twitter) for beta-reading, every day i'm glad that you made that rooney loves you account to my georgia loves you account, i love youuuu
> 
> feel free to follow me on twitter and tumblr, i'm @georgiaswarr on both


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